Loop regulating mechanism for knitting machines



June 26, 1934, gow 1,964,159

LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Kenneth June 26, 1934 ow 1,964,159

LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed D60. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QWUQIWM:

Jfennei'h Jiaugie,

Patented June 26, 1934 PATENT OFFICE LOOP REGULATING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Kenneth Howie, Norristown, Pa... assignor to W1ldman Mfg. 00., Norristown, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 29, 1932, Serial No. 649,374

10 Claims.

The invention concerns loop length adjusting mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines. In carrying out the invention one object is to obtain a wide range of adjustment by a simple form of mechanism; to avoid duplication of operating connections and to secure accuracy in operation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front view 'of the improved mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional View of the main cam shaft and the regulating rock shaft, the needle bar and the connections leading thereto, and the improved means for effecting adjustments for different loop lengths."

Fig. 3 is a detail front view of the lowerend of the improved form of press arm and means of adjustment for different loop lengths carried thereby.

Fig. 4 is a detail edge view of a part of the press arm and the adjusting means between it and the arm on the regulating rock shaft.

Fig. 5 is a view of the pattern mechanism and part of the connection between it and the mechanism of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the loop regulating rock shaft is shown at 22. The main cam shaft is shown at a, and the cam on the main cam shaft for operating the press arm 18 is indicated at 189:.

The press arm is mounted on a rod 6. and it is connected to the needle bar 1 as usual through link and lever connections, such for instance as 16, 15, rock shaft 4 and brackets, as 2, fixed on said rock shaft. A spring 182 stresses the press lever 18 in opposition to the cam and maintains the roller 18y of .the press lever against the cam.

on the regulator shaft 22 is fixed an arm 22b which is provided with stop means for variably determining the position of the press arm, and

hence the different positions of the needle bar for obtaining different lengths of loops. This arm 22b has mounted thereon a fixed stop member 2211; which is adapted to be contacted by a stop 1:1: mounted on a spherical member 2;: forming the terminal of a micrometer screw 31: mounted in the press arm 18 and adjustable by the finger piece 4x. By this means the press arm 18 may be adjusted in its position relative to the cam 18x under the pull of the spring 182 for determining the initial position of the needles relative to the sinkers for obtaining the desired length of loops.

In order to obtain different loop lengths auto-.

. matically during the operation of the machine, 35 the press arm 18 is provided with a series of stop screws 5 each of which may be individually adjusted by hand.

On the arm 22b fixed on the regulator shaft 22 is pivotally mounted at 6a: a stop arm 7 having a toothedsegment 8 meshing with a rack 9 connected to a collar 10 slidably mounted on the regulator shaft 22, and operated by a link 11, bell crank lever 12, link. 13, and lever 14, which lever is operated by projections #2, #3, #4, #5 on a pattern drum A. These projections are of different height and will operate the connections described to different degrees and hence the arm 7 will be turned about its pivot into different angular positions. These positions agree or register with the relative positions of the contact screws 5 on the press arm 18 and thus it will be seen that the press'arm will be set or arrested in different positions to change the length of stitch according as the stop arm '7 is operated by the pattern mechanism into line with one or the other of the stop screws 5. In the position #3 the stop arm '7 is not opposite any stop screw on -press arm 18, hence under this condition the arresting or setting of the press arm will be due to the micrometer controlled stop 1a: contacting 8 the stop 22a. The loop regulating shaft 22 is rocked by an arm 21x fixed thereon, and a cam (not shown) on the main cam shaft a. The rack bar 9 slides in a guideway 16 in the hub of the arm 22b fixed on the regulator rock shaft. The bell crank lever 12 is pivotally mounted on the hub of the arm 21x fixed on the regulator rock. shaft. A spring 17 returns the rack bar and its operating connections, and keeps the end of lever 14 against the pattern drum or the projections thereon. The automatic swinging of the stop arm '7 about its pivot 6a: to get into position opposite the prescribed one of the series of stop screws 5 takes place when the arm 22b onthe regulator rock shaft is swung away from the press arm 18. At such time the arm 22b is separated from the press arm 18 a distance sufficient to permit the lever 7 to pass in front of the end of all the screw stops 5 notwithstanding the fact that these stop screws project from the press lever 18 different distances.

With this mechanism only one lever 14, and one set of connections 11, 12, 13 is necessary for effecting the several automatic loop length adjustments, the operation of this one lever being varied by the projections #2, #3, #4, #5 on the pattern drum and these varied operations being translated into different adjustments of the press lever by the swinging stop lever 7 and the stop screws for getting different length of loops. The use of only one lever 14 not only is of advantage in avoiding duplication of itself and the series of operating connections, but it leaves more room at the pattern mechanism for the employment of other connections and levers for effecting other operations.

The press arm 18 is provided with a broad end portion 180 in which the stops 5 are mounted and distributed at different points in a direction lengthwise of the regulating rock shaft.

I claim:

1. In a full fashioned knitting machine, a needle bar, a cam and press lever, a rock shaft for regulating loop lengths, a cam operated arm fixed rigidly thereon to give a constant angular movement to the rock shaft, a plurality of stops on the press lever, a. stop on the regulator shaft adjustable independently of the rock shaft and pattern means for automatically actuating said adjustable stop into line with any one of the stops on the press lever, substantially as described.

2. Loop regulating mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines according to claim 1 in which an arm on the regulator rock shaft carries the pattern actuated adjustable stop.

3. Loop regulating mechanism according to claim 1 in which the pattern actuated adjustable stop is pivotally mounted on said regulator shaft.

4. Loop regulating mechanism according to claim 1 in which the pattern actuated adjustable stop is mounted on an arm carried by the regulator rock shaft, said arm affording a stop for the press arm, which press arm carries an adjustable stop to cooperate with the stop portion of the said stop arm on the regulating rock shaft.

5. Loop regulating mechanism accoring to claim 1 in which the pattern actuated adjustable stop is mounted on an arm carried by the regulator rock shaft, said arm affording a stop for the press arm, which press a -c arries an adjustable stop to cooperate with the stop portion of the said stop arm on the regulating rock shaft, said adjustable stop comprising a micrometer screw, substantially as described.

6. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine a loop regulating rock shaft, a stop arm pivotally mounted thereon, a. bar movable lengthwise of the rock shaft and connected to said stop arm, to turn it to different positions about its pivot, pattern mechanism connected to said bar for moving the same, a press lever connected with the needle bar, a cam for operating said press lever, said press lever having a series of stops to engage the pivoted stop arm of regulating rock shaft when the same is adjusted about its pivot into line with said stops severally, substantially as described.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which the said bar is connected to a collar slidable on the regulating rock shaft and a link connects said collar to a bell crank lever mounted on the rock shaft which bell crank is linked to a lever operated by the pattern element, substantially as described.

8. In loop length determining mechanism for full fashioned knitting machines, and in combination a regulating rock shaft, a cam operated arm fixed rigidly thereon to give a constant angular movement to the rock shaft, a stop member thereon adjustable in a direction lengthwise of said shaft, pattern mechanism for setting said stop in its different prescribed positions along said shaft, a press arm connected with the needle bar for operating the same, said press arm operating in a direction transverse to the axis of the regulating rock shaft, said press arm having a plurality of stops for determining different settings of the needle bar for different loop lengths, said stops being adjustable independently of the rock shaft and being disposed at spaced apart points in a direction lengthwise of the regulating rock shaft, the prescribed positions of the stop member first mentioned as selected by the pattern mechanism corresponding to one or the other of the stops on the press arm, substantially as described. i

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the press arm is provided with a broad portion in which the plurality of stops are mounted.

10. In a full fashioned knitting machine, a needle bar, a loop regulating rock shaft, a cam operated arm fixed rigidly thereon to give a constant angular movement to the regulating rock shaft, a press lever, a cam for operating said press lever, and stop means between the loop regulating rock shaft and the press lever for variably limiting the position of the press lever relative to its cam, said stop means being pattern controlled and set in various limiting positions independently of the said rock shaft.

KENNETH HOWIE. 

